Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn approximately 20,000 men Battle Summary: In the spring of 1314, Edward Bruce, brother of King Robert the Bruce, laid siege to English-held Stirling Castle . Unable to make any significant progress, he struck a deal with the castle's commander, Sir Philip Moubray, that if the castle was not relieved by Midsummer Day (June 24) it would be surrendered to the Scots. By the terms of the deal a large English force was required to arrive within three miles of the castle by the specified date. This arrangement displeased both King Robert, who wished to avoid pitched battles, and King Edward II who viewed the potential loss of the castle as a blow to his prestige. Seeing an opportunity to regain the Scottish lands lost since his father's death in 1307, Edward prepared to march north that summer. Assembling a force numbering around 20,000 men, the army included seasoned veterans of the Scottish campaigns such as the Earl of Pembroke, Henry de Beaumont, and Robert Clifford.

Departing Berwick-upon-Tweed on June 17, it moved north through Edinburgh and arrived south of Stirling on the 23rd. Long aware of Edward's intentions, Bruce was able to assemble 6,000-7,000 skilled troops as well as 500 cavalry, under Sir Robert Keith, and approximately 2,000 "small folk." With the advantage of time, Bruce was able train his soldiers and better prepare them for the coming battle. The basic Scottish unit, the schiltron (shield-troop) consisted of around 500 spearmen fighting as a cohesive unit. As the immobility of schiltron had been fatal at the Battle of Falkirk , Bruce instructed his soldiers in fighting on the move. As the English marched north, Bruce shifted his army to the New Park, a wooded area overlooking the Falkirk-Stirling road, a low-lying plain known as the Carse, as well as a small stream, the Bannock Burn, and its nearby marshes.

As the road offered some of the only firm ground on which the English heavy cavalry could operate, it was Bruce's goal to force Edward to move right, over the Carse, in order to reach Stirling. To accomplish this, camouflaged pits, three feet deep and containing caltrops, were dug on both sides of the road. Once Edward's army was on the Carse, it would be constricted by the Bannock Burn and its wetlands and forced to fight on a narrow front, thus negating its superior numbers. Despite this commanding position, Bruce debated giving battle until the last minute but was swayed by reports that English morale was low. On June 23, Moubray arrived in Edward's camp and told the king that battle was not necessary as the terms of the bargain had been met. This advice was ignored, as part of the English army, led by the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, moved to attack Bruce's division at the south end of the New Park. As the English approached, Sir Henry de Bohun, nephew of the Earl of Hereford, spotted Bruce riding in front of his troops and charged.

The Scottish king, unarmored and armed with only a battle axe, turned and met Bohun's charge. Evading the knight 's lance, Bruce cleaved Bohun's head in two with his axe. Chastised by his commanders for taking such a risk, Bruce simply complained that he had broken his axe. The incident helped inspire the Scots and they, with aid of the pits, drove off Gloucester and Hereford's attack. To the north, a small English force led by Henry de Beaumont and Robert Clifford was also beaten off by the Scottish division of the Earl of Moray. In both cases, the English cavalry was defeated by the solid wall of Scottish spears. Unable to move up the road, Edward's army moved to the right, crossing the Bannock Burn, and camped for the night on the Carse. At dawn on the 24th, with Edward's army surrounded on three sides by the Bannock Burn, Bruce turned to the offensive. Advancing in four divisions, led by Edward Bruce, James Douglas, the Earl of Moray, and the king, the Scottish army moved towards the English. As they drew near, they paused and knelt in prayer.

Seeing this, Edward reportedly exclaimed, "Ha! they kneel for mercy!" To which an aid replied, "Yea sire, they kneel for mercy, but not from you. These men will conqueror or die." As the Scots resumed their advance, the English rushed to form up, which proved difficult in confined space between the waters. Almost immediately, the Earl of Gloucester charged forward with his men. Colliding with the spears of Edward Bruce's division, Gloucester was killed and his charge broken. The Scottish army then reached the English, engaging them along the entire front. Trapped and pressed between the Scots and the waters, the English were unable to assume their battle formations and soon their army became a disorganized mass. Pushing forward, the Scots soon began to gain ground, with the English dead and wounded being trampled. Driving home their assault with cries of "Press on! Press on! the Scots' attack forced many in the English rear to flee back across the Bannock Burn. Finally, the English were able to deploy their archers to attack the Scottish left. Seeing this new threat, Bruce ordered Sir Robert Keith to attack them with his light cavalry.

Riding forward, Keith's men struck the archers, driving them from the field. As the English lines began to waver, the call went up "On them, on them! They fail!" Surging with renewed strength, the Scots pressed home the attack. They were aided by the arrival of the "small folk" (those lacking training or weapons) who had been held in reserve. Their arrival, coupled with Edward fleeing the field, led to the English army's collapse and a rout ensued. Aftermath: The Battle of Bannockburn became the greatest victory in the history of Scotland. While full recognition of Scottish independence was still several years off, Bruce had driven the English from Scotland and secured his position as king. While exact numbers of Scottish casualties are not known, they are believed to have been light. English losses are not known with precision but may have ranged from 4,000-11,000 men. Following the battle, Edward raced south and finally found safety at Dunbar Castle. He never again returned to Scotland.

Battle of Bannockburn | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Around Lent of 1314, Edward Bruce , brother of the Scottish King, began the siege of Stirling Castle , which was commanded by Sir Philip Mowbray . Unable to make any headway, Bruce agreed to a pact with Mowbray—if no relief came by midsummer 1314, the castle would surrender to Bruce. It was now two years since an English army had come to Scotland, and King Edward II of England had recently been on the verge of war with his barons after the murder of Piers Gaveston in the summer of 1312. Stirling was of vital strategic importance and its loss would be a serious embarrassment to the English. The time allowed in the Bruce-Mowbray pact was ample for Edward to gather a powerful army. According to the historian and poet John Barbour , King Robert Bruce rebuked the folly of his brother, even though Dundee had probably fallen to the Scots through a similar arrangement in 1312. Mowbray had a breathing space and looked forward to the summer of 1314.

In England, Edward and his barons reached an uneasy peace and made ready. Edward comes north Edit Edward came to Scotland in the high summer of 1314 with the preliminary aim of relieving Stirling Castle: the real purpose, of course, was to find and destroy the Scottish army in the field, and thus end the war. England, for once, was largely united in this ambition, although some of Edward's greatest magnates and former enemies, headed by his cousin, Thomas of Lancaster , did not attend in person, sending the minimum number of troops they were required to by feudal law. Even so, the force that left Berwick-upon-Tweed on 17 June 1314 was impressive: it comprised between 2,000–3,000 horse and 16,000 foot. The precise size relative to the Scottish forces is unclear but estimates range from as much as at least two or three times the size of the army Bruce had been able to gather, to as little as only 50% larger.

[10] Edward was accompanied by many of the seasoned campaigners of the Scottish wars, headed by Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke , and veterans like Henry de Beaumont and Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford . The most irreconcilable of Bruce's Scottish enemies also came: Ingram de Umfraville , a former Guardian of Scotland , and his kinsman the Earl of Angus , as well as others of the MacDougalls , MacCanns and Sir John Comyn of Badenoch, the only son of the Red Comyn , who was born and raised in England and was now returning to Scotland to avenge his father's killing by Bruce at Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries in 1306. This was a grand feudal army, one of the last of its kind to leave England in the Middle Ages . King Robert awaited its arrival south of Stirling near the Bannock Burn in Scotland. Preparations Edit An early 14th century English depiction of a Biblical battle giving an impression of how soldiers were equipped at Bannockburn.

The image of a king wielding a battle axe in the top half has led some historians to link this image to Bannockburn. The English army marched rapidly to reach Stirling before Mowbray's agreement expired on 24 June. Edinburgh was reached on 19 June and by 22 June, it was at Falkirk , only 15 miles short of its objective. Edward's host followed the line of the old Roman road, which ran through an ancient forest known as the Tor Wood, over the Bannockburn and into the New Park, a hunting preserve enclosed at the time of Alexander III . From the middle of May, Bruce's army had been assembling in the Tor Wood, an area providing good natural cover. On Saturday, 22 June, with his troops now organised into their respective commands, Bruce moved his army slightly to the north to the New Park, a more heavily wooded area, where his movements could be concealed and which, if the occasion demanded, could provide cover for a withdrawal. Bruce's army, like William Wallace 's before him, was chiefly composed of infantry armed with long spears.

It was divided into three main (infantry) formations, a force of light cavalry, and the camp followers (who took part at the end of the battle). Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray , commanded the vanguard , which was stationed about a mile to the south of Stirling, near the church of St. Ninian, while the king commanded the rearguard at the entrance to the New Park. His brother, Edward, led the third division. According to Barbour, there was a fourth nominally under the youthful Walter the Steward , but actually under the command of Sir James Douglas . [11] The army might have numbered as many as 9,000 men in all, but probably more of the order of 6,000–7,000. It was gathered from the whole of Scotland: knights and nobles, freemen and tenants, town dwellers and traders: men who could afford the arms and armour required. Barbour tells that King Robert turned away those who were not adequately equipped. For most, such equipment would consist of a spear, a helmet, a thick padded jacket down to the knees and armoured gloves.

[12] [13] It is highly probable that a large proportion of the spearmen had acquired more extensive armour given that the country had been at war for nearly twenty years. The balance of the army consisted of archers and men-at-arms . The Scottish archers used yew-stave longbows and it is not to be thought that they had weaker or inferior bows but rather had inferior numbers. [14] Consisting of possibly only 500 archers (although there is no documentary evidence as to their numbers), they played little part in the battle. [15] There is first hand evidence from the captured Carmelite friar, Robert Baston in his poem, written just after the battle, that one or both sides employed slingers and crossbowmen. [16] Each of these troop types was indistinguishable from their counterparts in France or England. Many of the Scottish men-at-arms (recruited from the nobility and the more prosperous burgesses) served on foot at Bannockburn. Since his landing at Ayrshire in 1307, King Robert had demonstrated time and time again that he was willing to take risks, but these were always measured and calculated.

He had no intention of chancing all on the outcome of a day, as had William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk . Almost to the last minute, he was prepared to withdraw. The Chronicle of Lanercost seems to confirm that the English also believed he would seek to retreat as it states that " . . . the king’s [Edward's] advanced guard, commanded by Lord de Clifford, began to make a circuit of the wood to prevent the Scots escaping by flight". [17] King Robert was persuaded to remain by news of the poor state of morale in the English army. But undoubtedly the most important factor in persuading him to make a stand was the ground before him. The Bannock Burn (or stream), which the English army had to cross on the way to Stirling, and its sister streams flowed over the Carse of Stirling. A carse is an area which is wet in winter, but hard in summer, and most of it was used for growing wheat, oats, and barley. With the trees of the New Park covering Bruce's army to the west, the only approach apart from the Pows to the east was directly over the old road from Falkirk .

If this route, virtually the only solid ground on which heavy cavalry could be effectively deployed, were to be denied to the English, they would have no choice but to wheel right to the north-east, on to the Carse. To force Edward to take this route, Bruce adopted tactics similar to those he had used at the Battle of Loudon Hill : both sides of the road were peppered with small pits or 'pots', each three feet deep and covered with brush, which would force the enemy to bunch towards the centre of a dangerously constricted front. Once on the Carse, the English army would be caught in a kind of natural vise, as the main action on 24 June showed, with waterways to the north, east, and south. Such natural advantages were not easily obtained, and were unlikely to occur again. There is some confusion over the exact site of the Battle of Bannockburn , although most modern historians agree that the traditional site, where a visitor centre and statue have been erected, is not the correct one.

[18] Although a large number of possible alternatives have been proposed, most can be dismissed and two serious contenders can be considered: [19] the area of peaty ground known as the Dryfield outside the village of Balquhiderock, about three-quarters of a mile to the east of the traditional site, [20] and the Carse of Balquhiderock, about a mile and a half north-east of the traditional site, accepted by the National Trust as the most likely candidate. [21] First day of battle Edit An interpretation of the battle of Bannockburn-first day It was on the old road that the preliminary actions of the Battle of Bannockburn took place on Sunday, 23 June. For the English, things started to go wrong before the first blow had been struck. Sir Philip Mowbray , the commander of Stirling Castle, who had observed Bruce's preparations on the road, appeared in Edward's camp early in the morning, and warned of the dangers of approaching the Scots directly through the New Park.

Mowbray also pointed out that there was no need to force a battle, as Edward was now close enough to the castle to constitute a technical relief in terms of the agreement with Edward Bruce. But even if the king was disposed to act on Mowbray's advice, it was already too late; for he was showing signs of losing control of his formidable but unwieldy host. The vanguard under the earls of Gloucester and Hereford , appointed to joint command by Edward after a quarrel about who would take the lead – a compromise that satisfied no one – were already closing in on the Scots from the south, advancing in the same reckless manner that had almost brought disaster at Falkirk. Following the line of the Roman road, they crossed the ford over the Bannockburn towards King Robert's division at the opening of the New Park. Bruce defeats de Bohun, from a children's history book (1906) There now occurred one of the most memorable episodes in Scottish history. Henry de Bohun , nephew of the Earl of Hereford, was riding ahead of his companions when he caught sight of the Scottish king riding at some distance away from his troops.

De Bohun, no doubt hoping to win the day and personal glory by promptly dispatching Bruce, lowered his lance and launched a fatal charge. King Robert, mounted on a small palfrey , was unarmoured and carrying only a battle-axe. [22] As de Bohun's great war-horse thundered towards him, Bruce stood his ground, all the while watched with mounting anxiety by his own army. With the Englishman only feet away, Bruce turned his mount aside, avoided the lance, stood in his stirrups and smote the oncoming knight so hard and accurately with his axe that he split his adversary's helmet and head asunder, killing him instantly. This remarkable encounter became in a real sense a symbol of the imminent battle and of the war itself: the one side larger and heavily armed but lacking agility; the other highly mobile and employing opportunistic tactics. Rebuked by his commanders for the enormous risk he had taken, the king only expressed regret that he had broken the shaft of his axe. Cheered by this heroic encounter, Bruce's division rushed forward to engage the main enemy force.

For the English, so says the author of the Vita Edwardi Secundi (Life of Edward II), this was the beginning of their troubles. After some fierce fighting, in which the Earl of Gloucester was knocked off his horse, the knights of the vanguard were forced to retreat to the Tor Wood. The Scots, eager to pursue, were held back by the command of the king. In the meantime, another English cavalry force under Robert Clifford and Henry de Beaumont skirted the Scottish position to the east and rode towards Stirling, advancing as far as St. Ninians. Bruce spotted the manoeuvre and ordered Randolph's schiltron to intercept. Randolph's action was a foretaste of the main contest the following day: unsupported by archers, the horsemen were unable to make any impression on the Scots spearmen, precisely what had happened in the opening stages of Falkirk. The difference now was that the schiltrons had learnt mobility and how to keep formation at the same time. The English squadron was broken, some seeking refuge in the nearby castle, others fleeing back to the army.

The captives included Sir Thomas Grey , whose son and namesake later based his account of the Battle of Bannockburn in his book, the Scalacronica , on his father's memories. Second day of battle Edit An interpretation of the battle of Bannockburn-second day The English army was still approaching Stirling from the south. Bruce's preparations had made the direct approach to Stirling too hazardous. Edward made the worst decision of all: he ordered the army to cross the Bannockburn to the east of the New Park. Not long after daybreak on 24 June, the Scots spearmen began to move towards the English. Edward was surprised to see Robert's army emerge from the cover of the woods. As Bruce's army drew nearer, they paused and knelt in prayer. Edward is supposed to have said in surprise "They pray for mercy!" "For mercy, yes," one of his attendants replied, "But from God, not you. These men will conquer or die." [23] One of the English earls, Gloucester, asked the king to hurry up, but the king accused him of cowardice.

Angered, the earl mounted his horse and led the vanguard on a charge against the leading Scots spearmen, commanded by Edward Bruce. Gloucester, who according to some accounts had not bothered to don his surcoat , was killed in the forest of Scottish spears, along with some of the other knights. The very size and strength of the great army was beginning to work against the English king, as his army could not move quickly and lost a lot of time in getting into position. Bruce then committed his whole Scots army to an inexorable bloody push into the disorganised English mass, fighting side by side across a single front. Edward's army was now so tightly packed that if a man fell, he risked being immediately crushed underfoot or suffocated and the English and Welsh longbowmen failed to get a clear shot in fear they might hit their own men. After some time they moved to the side of Douglas's division and began shooting into its left, but Robert the Bruce had anticipated this, and upon his command the Scottish 500-horse light cavalry under the Marischal Sir Robert Keith dispersed them. The returning fleeing archers then caused the infantry itself to begin to flee.

[24] Later the knights began to escape back across the Bannockburn. With the English formations beginning to break, a great shout went up from the Scots, "Lay on! Lay on! Lay on! They fail!" This cry was heard by Bruce's camp followers , who promptly gathered weapons and banners and charged forward. To the English army, close to exhaustion, this appeared to be a fresh reserve and they lost all hope. The English forces north of the Bannockburn broke into flight. Some tried to cross the River Forth where most drowned in the attempt. [25] Others tried to get back across the Bannockburn, but as they ran, “tumbling one over the other” down the steep, slippery banks, a deadly crush ensued so that “men could pass dryshod upon the drowned bodies”. [26] Retreat Edit Edward fled with his personal bodyguard, ending the remaining order in the army; panic spread and defeat turned into a rout . He arrived eventually at Dunbar Castle , from here he took ship to England. From the carnage of Bannockburn, the rest of the army tried to escape to the safety of the English border, ninety miles to the south.

Many were killed by the pursuing Scottish army or by the inhabitants of the countryside that they passed through. Historian Peter Reese says that, "only one sizeable group of men—all footsoldiers—made good their escape to England." [9] These were a force of Welsh spearmen who were kept together by their commander, Sir Maurice de Berkeley, and the majority of them reached Carlisle. [9] Weighing up the available evidence, Reese concludes that "it seems doubtful if even a third of the footsoldiers returned to England." [9] Out of 16,000 infantrymen, this would give a total of about 11,000 killed. The English chronicler Thomas Walsingham gave the number of English men-at-arms who were killed as 700, [7] while 500 more men-at-arms were spared for ransom. [27] The Scottish losses appear to have been comparatively light, with only two knights among those killed.

[28] Notable casualties Battle of Bannockburn Battle of Bannockburn Robert the Bruce’s iconic victory of the Scots over the English Robert de Bruce addresses his troops before the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314: click here to buy this picture The previous battle in the British Battles series is the Battle of Hastings The next battle in the British Battles series is the Battle of Sluys Date: 23rd and 24th June 1314. Place: In Central Scotland, to the South of Stirling. The Royal Arms of England at the time of Edward II: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd June 1314: picture by Mark Dennis, Ormond Pursuivant War: The Scottish War of Independence against the English Crown of Edward I and Edward II. Contestants: A Scots army against an army of English, Scots and Welsh. Generals: Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots, against Edward II, King of England. Size of the Armies: There is great controversy over every aspect of the Battle of Bannockburn due to the lack of contemporary accounts.

The eminent Scottish historian William Mackenzie came to the conclusion that the English army comprised around 3,000 mounted men, knights and men-at-arms, and around 13,000 foot soldiers, including a detachment of Welsh archers. William Mackenzie put the Scots at around 7,000 men. Robert de Bruce’s army comprised foot soldiers with a force of around 600 light horsemen commanded by Sir Robert Keith, the Marischal. Winner: The Scots trounced the English in the 2 day battle. Uniforms and equipment: In order to re-conquer Scotland from Robert the Bruce King Edward II of England summoned his feudal army. The most important element in the feudal array was the mounted knighthood of Angevin England. A fully equipped knight wore chain mail, re-enforced by plate armour, and a steel helmet. He carried a shield, long lance, sword and, according to taste, axe or bludgeon and dagger. He rode a destrier or heavy horse strong enough to carry a fully equipped rider at speed.

The heraldic devices of the knight were emblazoned on his shield and surcoat, a long cloth garment worn over the armour, and his horse’s trappings. An emblem might be worn on the helmet and a pennon at the point of the lance. Other knights on the field, including enemies, would be able to identify a knight from the heraldic devices he wore. Socially inferior soldiers such as men-at-arms would wear less armour and carry a shield, short lance, sword, axe, bludgeon and dagger. They rode lighter horses. Knights of the period of the Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314: picture by Edward Burne-Jones : click here to buy this picture Within each army units comprised men raised from particular areas or a nobleman’s household knights and men-at-arms. In the English army the King’s household provided a sizeable and homogenous fighting force. The foot soldiers on each side fought with whatever weapons they had, which might be bows, spears, swords, daggers, bill hooks, bludgeons or any other implement capable of inflicting injury. They wore metal helmets and quilted garments if they could get them.

Traditional feudal armies of the time considered battle to be an exercise between mounted knights. No account was taken of those further down the social scale and little sensible use made of them. For the English the battle was to be decided by the attack of their cavalry. The dismounted soldiers were present for other purposes, largely menial, in the eyes of the knighthood. Battle of Bannockburn 24th June 1314: picture by Willilam Hole RSA Because of the nature of the guerrilla war Robert de Bruce and the Scots had been fighting over the previous years against the English they had few mounted knights available for the battle. The Scots army comprised foot soldiers mostly armed with spears and that was the force Robert the Bruce had to rely upon. While Bannockburn is held up as an important event for Scottish nationalism it is intriguing to remember that the knights on each side were essentially of the same stock, Norman-French or Northern European. The language spoken was in many instances still French. As the Middle Ages progressed the limitations of mounted knights attempting to win battles alone were repeatedly revealed: the Battles of Charleroi, Crecy and Agincourt were three examples.

Bannockburn was again to show the inadequacy of largely unsupported heavy cavalry. Edward I, King of England, Maleus Scotorum, and father of Edward II, 1239 to 1307: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 The Background to the Battle of Bannockburn: Edward I, King of England from 1239 to 1307 and father to King Edward II, conquered Scotland as he conquered Wales. Once the local forces had been overcome in open battle Edward’s system of occupation was to build a network of stone castles or walled towns each occupied by an armed force under a loyal local or English knight. Edward I died on 6th July 1307 and his son Edward II became King of England. The King had to contend with a number of powerful noblemen each with large regional estates and substantial military resources. A similar politico-social system was in place in most areas of Western Europe.

It took a king of considerable military and political acumen and ruthless resolve to keep the English nobility in order and to force them to pursue the national or royal interest as opposed to their own individual interests. Edward I was such a king while his son Edward II certainly was not. Edward II’s reign was blighted by simmering dispute, frequently breaking into outright warfare, between King and Nobles. A particular source of discord was Edward II’s reliance upon his favourite, Piers Gaveston, a Gascon knight, whom Edward made Earl of Cornwall. Gaveston was hated by most of the senior nobility of England, a group of whom finally assassinated him in 1312. Robert de Bruce, King of the Scots from 1306 to 1329: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 Robert de Bruce and his Scots followers rejoiced openly at the death of King Edward I. The Bruce now embarked on his war to push the English out of Scotland and to establish his dominance over his Scottish rivals as King of the Scots.

The English castles while a powerful mechanism for dominating occupied country with garrisons of small groups of armed knights and men had a major weakness which lay in its day to day security. During their campaign against the occupying English the Scots became masters of the art of taking fortifications by trick and surprise. A standard piece of kit for the Scots, which they perfected, was the scaling ladder. There were rarely enough men in a castle to watch the length of the fortifications fully and inevitably there were periods when such watch as there was lapsed. Approaching with stealth the Scots would scale the walls and take the castle or town. The classic was the capture of Edinburgh Castle on 14th March 1313 by Randolph Earl of Moray. The castle watch actually looked over the wall at the point where the Scots were preparing to attack, before loudly moving on, leaving the Scots to scale the wall and open the gate to the waiting force, which then stormed the castle. A particularly popular tale is the taking of Linlithgow Castle by William Bannock in September 1313.

Bannock drove up in a cart filled with fodder for the garrison’s horses and stopped the cart in the gateway thereby preventing the garrison from closing the gate. Armed men leaped from beneath the fodder and, assisted by a band of men that rushed the gate, the castle was stormed. As each castle or town was captured the fortifications built over many years by the English were destroyed so that the English could not re-establish their control of the country, even if the place was re-taken. Finally few castles remained. One of these was Stirling Castle held for Edward II by Sir Philip de Mowbray. In around February 1313 the brother of King Robert de Bruce, Edward de Bruce, began a siege of Stirling Castle. In June 1313 de Mowbray put an offer to Edward de Bruce. The offer was that if Stirling Castle was not relieved by Midsummer’s Day 1314, 24th June, de Mowbray would surrender the castle to de Bruce. To comply with this requirement the relieving English army would need to be within 3 miles of the castle within 8 days of that date.

De Bruce appears to have accepted this offer without thinking through the implications, or possibly without caring. His brother the king was, on the other hand, fully aware of the consequences of this rash agreement, which in effect compelled Edward II to launch a new invasion of Scotland. Edward II, King of England, vanquished at the Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 At the end of 1313 Edward II issued the summonses for his army to assemble. The wording of these documents indicated that while the relief of Stirling Caste was the pretext, the intention was to re-conquer Scotland for the English Crown. The shaky hold Edward II maintained over his nobility is illustrated by the number of powerful noblemen who refused to answer the call to arms: the Earl of Lancaster, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Warenne and the Earl of Arundel among others. The King’s call was answered by Henry de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Constable of England, the Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Pembroke. The Scottish Earl of Angus supported Edward.

Shield of Sir John Comyn, knight in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 Knights answering Edward’s summons were: Sir Ingram de Unfraville, Sir Marmaduke de Tweng, Sir Raoul de Monthemer, Sir John Comyn and Sir Giles d’Argentan, several of them Scottish. Other knights joined Edward’s army from France, Gascony, Germany, Flanders, Brittany, Aquitaine, Guelders, Bohemia, Holland, Zealand and Brabant. Foot soldiers came from all over England and archers from Wales. Edward’s army assembled at Berwick in May 1314. There was complete confidence in victory over the Scots. The army began its advance into Scotland on 17th June 1314, the column covering a considerable area accompanied by numerous flocks of sheep and cattle to provide rations and carts carrying the baggage of the members of the army and the quantities of fodder required for the knight’s heavy fighting horses. The army marched to Edinburgh and took the old Roman road to Stirling.

Beyond Falkirk the road passed through the forest of Torwood, also known in French as Les Torres, before crossing the Bannockburn stream into the New Park and on to Stirling. To the right of the route wound the tidal waters of the River Forth. Along the river was the scrubland area known as Les Polles. The area to the north of the Bannockburn ford on the road route was known as the Dryfield of Balquiderock. A small tributary of the Bannockburn called the Pelstream Burn curled around to the West. Beyond the Pelstream a boggy area led down to the Forth. The Abbot of Inchaffray blesses the Scots soldiers before the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314: click here to buy this picture Robert de Bruce assembled his army of Scottish foot soldiers to the South of Stirling and formed them into 4 battalions commanded by himself, Thomas Randolph Earl of Moray, James Douglas and his brother Edward de Bruce. These battalions were given the name of ‘Schiltrons’. The King’s schiltron comprised men from his own estates in Carrick and the Western Highlands.

The other schiltrons men from the estates of their commanders and their associates. Randolph led men from Ross and the North: Edward de Bruce led men from Buchan, Mar, Angus and Galloway: Douglas men from the Borders. The small force of mounted knights and men-at-arms was commanded by Sir Robert Keith, Marischal to the King of Scotland. Robert the Bruce addresses his army before the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314 Several of the Highland clans under their chiefs marched with the Scots army: William Earl of Sutherland, Macdonald Lord of the Isles, Sir Malcolm Drummond, Campbell of Lochow and Argyle, Grant of Grant, Sir Simon Fraser, Mackays, Macphersons, Camerons, Chisholms, Gordons, Sinclairs, Rosses, Mackintoshes, MacLeans, MacFarlanes, Macgregors and Mackenzies among them. Some Scottish clans fought for Edward II: MacDougalls and MacNabs. Robert the Bruce positioned his army in the New Park with Randolph’s schiltron to the fore and his own immediately behind it.

The chosen method of combat was for each schiltron to form a bristling mass of spears which the English knights would be unable to penetrate. The Scots dug concealed pits across the front of their position and along the bank of the Bannockburn to break up any mounted charge against them. Map of the Battle of Bannockburn first day: 23rd June 1314: map by John Fawkes Account of the Battle of Bannockburn: The Scots soldiery was aroused at around day break on Sunday 23rd June 1314. Maurice the aged blind Abbot of Inchaffray celebrated mass for the army after which Robert de Bruce addressed his soldiers, informing them that anyone who did not have the stomach for a fight should leave. A great cry re-assured him that most were ready for the battle. The camp followers, known as the ‘Small Folk’, were sent off to wait at the rear of the field, probably on the hill called St Gillies’ Hill. The Schiltrons were formed for battle fronting the fords over the Bannockburn that the English must cross.

Edward’s army had marched some 20 miles on Saturday 22nd June 1314 arriving at Falkirk in the evening. Edward had left it late in leaving Berwick if he was to reach Stirling by Midsummer’s Day and it was necessary to make up lost time. Sir James Keith led a mounted to patrol to watch the arrival of the English Army and he found this a daunting sight as Edward’s men camped over a wide area, the sun glinting on a myriad of weapons and armour. The bore-stone where Robert the Bruce’s standard was fixed: Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd and 24th June 1314 The English army was formed in 10 divisions; each led by a senior nobleman or experienced knight. On Sunday 23rd June 1314 Edward’s army began its final march up to the Bannockburn. The King was met by Sir Philip de Mowbray who had ridden out of Stirling Castle with a body of horseman, taking the path through the boggy ground by the Forth leading to the Carse and across the Bannockburn.

De Mowbray tried to persuade Edward to abandon his advance to battle. De Mowbray seems to have had grave reservations as to the outcome, not shared by the headstrong nobles and knights that Edward led. A body of some 300 horsemen under Sir Robert Clifford and Henry de Beaumont rode back to Stirling Castle with de Mowbray to re-enforce the garrison. This body took the path de Mowbray had ridden out on and passed under the noses of Randolph’s shiltron. Randolph received a stinging rebuke from his King, who remarked “See Randolph, there is a rose fallen from your chaplet. Thoughtless man. You have permitted the enemy to pass.” Robert de Bruce kills Sir Henry de Bohun in single combat on the first day of the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314 Randolph rushed his foot soldiers down to the path to block the route of Clifford’s and de Beaumont’s force. A savage fight took place with the English horsemen unable to penetrate the spear points of Randolph’s hastily formed schiltron.

The Scots were hard pressed and Douglas moved his men forward to give help but saw that the English were giving way. The English squadron broke in two with half riding for the castle and the remainder returning to the main army. In the initial attack Sir Thomas Grey was brought from his horse and taken, while Sir William D’Eyncourt was killed. Shield of Sir Robert de Clifford, knight in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 While Clifford and de Beaumont were engaged with Randolph the main English Army had moved out of the Torwood. The English advance continued inexorably with the advance guard under the Earls of Hereford and Gloucester riding to cross the Bannockburn and attack the Scots in the forest beyond. To the English it seemed inevitable that the Scots would withdraw and avoid battle in view of the enormous disparity in numbers and arms. It was at this point that Hereford’s nephew Sir Henry de Bohun galloped ahead of the advancing English array to challenge the Scots King to single combat. Robert de Bruce rode forward to meet de Bohun. The contrast in their equipment was stark.

De Bohun was fully armoured with lance and shield and rode a heavy destrier horse. De Bruce rode a light palfrey and was armed with sword and short axe. He was mounted to command infantry not to take part in a heavy cavalry charge. De Bohun rode at de Bruce with lance couched. De Bruce evaded de Bohun’s lance point and as the Anglo-Norman thundered past him struck him a deadly blow on the head with his axe. De Bohun fell dead. Following their king’s triumph the Scots infantry rushed on the English army struggling to clear the Bannockburn, where the ford had compelled the mass of horsemen to pack into a narrow column. A terrible slaughter ensued, the English knights impeded by the shallow pits concealed with branches. Among the extensive English casualties the Earl of Gloucester was wounded and unhorsed, being rescued from death or capture by his retainers.

Robert de Bruce strikes and kills Sir Henry de Bohun with his axe in single combat before the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314: picture by John Hassall: click here to buy this picture After the engagement such of the English as had come through the ford re-crossed the Bannockburn and the Scots infantry returned to their positions in the forests of the New Park. The English army had been convincingly repelled. Robert de Bruce’s immediate lieutenants reproached him for the risk he had taken in giving de Bohun single combat and the King simply regretted his broken axe. With the end of the day Robert de Bruce consulted with his commanders as to the future conduct of the battle. The King proposed that the Scots army might withdraw from the field, leaving the English army to attempt a re-conquest of Scotland until a lack of supplies forced it to withdraw south of the border. On the other hand the Scots could renew the battle the next day. Bruce’s commanders urged a resumption of the battle.

Soon afterwards a Scottish knight, Sir Alexander Seton, arrived from the English camp, having decided to resume his fealty to the Scottish King, and advised de Bruce that morale was low in the English army. Seton said “Sir, if you wish to take all of Scotland, now is the time. Edward’s army is grievously discouraged. You may beat them on the morrow with little loss and great glory.” In the English camp on the far side of the Bannockburn the infantry was more than discouraged. The word was that the war was unrighteous and this had been the cause of the day’s defeat. God was against the English army. Order broke down and the horde of foot soldiers ransacked the supply wagons and drank through the night. Heralds declared the victory was certain in the morning but few were convinced. Map of the Battle of Bannockburn second day: 24th June 1314: map by John Fawkes It was decided that the assault in the morning should be brought about by crossing the Bannockburn nearer to the River Forth to avoid the area of pits. The English knights would then deploy and charge the Scots positioned in the New Park.

Early in the morning the English crossed the Bannockburn and formed up along the edge of the Carse of Balquiderock, ready to charge the Scots. It was not a good position. The left of the English line lay on the Bannockburn, the right was hemmed in by the Pelstream. There were too many English for the narrow area. The Abbott of Inchaffray again passed among the Scots soldiery, blessing them. Again he held mass. The Abbott had brought relics of St Fillan and Abbott Bernard of Arbroath had brought the reliquary casket of St Columba to encourage the simple and superstitious soldiery. Seeing the kneeling Scots Edward commented to de Unfraville that they were craving his forgiveness for opposing him. De Unfraville answered that they were craving divine forgiveness. Shield of Sir Pain de Tiptoft knight in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 As part of the morning’s ceremony de Bruce knighted those of his army he considered had distinguished themselves on the previous day including Walter Stewart and James Douglas.

The Scots army then began to advance to the astonishment of the English that foot soldiers should advance against mounted knights. Shield of Sir Edmund de Mauley, knight in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 Edward said to de Umfraville “Will these Scotsmen fight?” de Umfraville said “These men will gain all or die in the trying.” Edward said “So be it” and signalled for the trumpets to sound the charge. First off the mark was the Earl of Gloucester. Edward had treated his suggestion of a day to recover from the previous day’s battle as cowardice and Gloucester intended to disprove this slur. The English knights hurled themselves onto the Scottish spear line with a terrible crash. The charge fell on Edward de Bruce’s schiltron. Many of the English knights were killed in the impact: Gloucester, Sir Edmund de Mauley, Sir John Comyn, Sir Pain de Tiptoft, Sir Robert de Clifford among them.

Robert de Bruce strikes and kills Sir Henry de Bohun with his axe in single combat before the Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314: picture by Ambrose de Walton: click here to buy this picture Randolph’s and Douglas’s schiltrons came up on the left flank and attacked the unengaged English cavalry waiting to charge in support of the first line. On the extreme English right flank the Welsh archers came into action causing a pause in the Scots attack until they were dispersed by Keith’s force of light horsemen. Supporting the assault of the spearmen of the schiltrons the Scots archers poured volleys of arrows into the struggling English cavalry line as it was pushed back across the dry ground into the broken area of the Carse. Robert Bruce drives the English into the Bannockburn: Battle of Bannockburn on 24th June 1314 The Scots spearmen pressed forward against the increasingly exhausted and hemmed in English army. The cry went up “On them. On them. They fail. They fail.” The final blow was the appearance of the ‘Small Folk’, the Scots camp followers, shouting and waving sheets.

The English army began to fall back to the Bannockburn with ever increasing speed and confusion and foot soldiers and horsemen attempted to force their way across the stream. High banks impeded the crossing and many are said to have drowned in the confusion. Many escaped across into the area of tidal bog land known as Les Polles where they fell prey to their exhaustion, heavy equipment and the knives of the Small Folk. The Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314: a contemporary representation Aftermath to the Battle of Bannockburn: Once it was clear that the day was lost, the Earl of Pembroke seized King Edward’s bridle and led him away from the battle field surrounded by the Royal retainers and accompanied by Sir Giles de Argentan. Once the King was safe de Argentan returned to the battle and was killed.

King Edward II of England refused entry to Stirling Castle after the battle by Sir Philip de Mowbray, the governor: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314: click here to buy this picture Shield of Sir Raoul de Monthemere, knight in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 Edward was taken to the gates of Stirling Castle. Here de Mowbray urged the King not to take refuge in the castle as he would inevitably be taken prisoner when the castle was forced to surrender to the Scots. Edward took this advice and with his retinue skirted around the battlefield and rode for Linlithgow. He then rode to Dunbar and took boat to Berwick.

The memorial to Sir Edmund de Mauley in York Minster: Sir Edmund died fighting in the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 A group of nobles, the Earl of Hereford, Robert de Umfraville Earl of Angus, Sir Ingram de Unfraville and others fled to Bothwell Castle where they were taken and handed to the Scots by the Castle Constable Sir Walter FitzGilbert. The Earl of Pembroke led his Welsh archers away from the battle field and after a tortuous and hazardous march brought them back to Wales. One of these archers may have been the source for the account of the battle in the Valle Crucis Abbey chronicle. Coat of Arms of Sir Marmaduke de Tweng of the English Army captured at the battle by the Scots: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 Others among the prisoners were Sir Marmaduke de Tweng and Sir Raoul de Monthemere. King Robert de Bruce returned the bodies of Gloucester and Sir Robert de Clifford to Berwick for burial by their families.

De Bruce conducted a vigil over the body of Gloucester to whom he was related. Casualties at the Battle of Bannockburn: There is little reliable evidence on the number slain. The English probably lost around 300 to 700 mounted knights and men-at-arms killed in the battle with many more killed in the flight from the field. Few foot soldiers are likely to have been killed in the battle. It is unknown how many Scots were killed. Memorial in Copthorne Church of Sir Edmund de Twenge who fought with the English army: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 The war against the English continued with years of Scots invasions of England and some counter invasions. Berwick changed hands several times. The Pope, acting on the English account, excommunicated King Robert de Bruce and a number of prominent Scots clergy and placed Scotland under interdict. In 1320 the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in Arbroath Abbey under the seals of 8 Scottish Earls and sent to the Pope. It contained a statement of the origins of the Scottish people and a declaration of their independence from England.

Heraldic representation of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 © The Heraldry Society of Scotland 2004 The statue of Robert de Bruce on the battlefield: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 by Pilkington Jackson In 1327 Edward II was deposed by his nobles and senior clergy. His son Edward III became the new king. Edward II died in Berkeley Castle on 21st September 1327 under suspicion that he had been murdered. The Treaty of Edinburgh bringing the long wars between England and Scotland to an end was signed on 17th March 1328 and ratified by Edward III on 4th May 1328. King Robert de Bruce died at Cardross on 7th June 1329. Anecdotes from the Battle of Bannockburn: Before the Battle of Bannockburn Friar Baston of King Edward II’s entourage wrote a ballad celebrating the coming victory over the Scots.

Baston was captured and required to re-write his ballad to record the true victors. He did so and it remains a valuable record. He was then released by Robert de Bruce. The Earl of Hereford was exchanged for King Robert’s wife and daughter who had been held for a number of years by the English, Queen Mary in a cage on the wall of Roxburgh Castle, and some 12 other Scots prisoners held by Edward. Coat of Arms of Sir William de Erth of Airth killed at Cambuskenneth Abbey by the Earl of Athol: Battle of Bannockburn 23rd and 24th June 1314 During the night of the First Day of the Battle of Bannockburn the Earl of Athol, a Scots nobleman who supported Edward II, raided the Scottish baggage train at Cambuskenneth Abbey on the North East bank of the Forth, killing the guard under Sir William de Erth of Airth and ransacking the baggage. After the battle Athol was forced to flee to England where he died. The Scottish song ‘Scots wa hae’ commemorates the Battle of Bannockburn.

In August 1320 a plot against King Robert de Bruce’s life was discovered among a group of Scottish knights. Sir David de Brechin, a knight of considerable repute for his conduct in the Crusades, was found to have knowledge of the plot and was hung, drawn and quartered in Perth. Sir David had fought for the English at the Battle of Bannockburn before giving his allegiance to King Robert. The previous battle in the British Battles series is the Battle of Hastings The next battle in the British Battles series is the Battle of Sluys BBC - Scotland's History - The Battle of Bannockburn Scotland's History Articles The Battle of Bannockburn, 1314 The Battle of Bannockburn, 1314 The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player . Bannockburn. If there is a fact every Scot knows, it is who won the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314; although it did not bring outright victory in the war, which lay 14 years in the future and would only be won at the negotiating table.

The victory was a combination of Bruce's demand of 1313: that all of the remaining Balliol supporters acknowledge his kingship or forfeit their estates, and the imminent surrender of the English garrison encircled in Stirling castle – which spurred Edward II to invade Scotland. He mobilised a massive military machine: summoning 2,000 horse and 25,000 infantry from England, Ireland and Wales. Although probably only half the infantry turned up, it was by far the largest English army ever to invade Scotland. The Scots common army numbered around 6000, with a small contingent on horseback. It was divided into three "divisions" or schiltroms (massive spear formations), led by King Robert Bruce, his brother, Edward, and his nephew, Sir Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray. After eight years of successful guerrilla warfare and plundering the north of England for booty, the Scots had created an experienced battle-hardened army. In June 1314, Edward II crossed the border only to find the road to Stirling blocked by the Scots army.

Bruce had carefully chosen his ground to the south of the castle, where the road ran through the New Park, a royal hunting park. To his east lay the natural obstacles of the Bannock and Pelstream burns, along with soft, boggy ground. It seems Bruce planned only to risk a defensive encounter, digging pots (small hidden pits designed to break up a cavalry charge) along the roadway, and keeping the Torwood behind him for easier withdrawal. The battle opened with one of the most celebrated individual contests in Scottish history. Sighting a group of Scots withdrawing into the wood, the English vanguard, made up of heavy cavalry, charged. As they clashed with the Scots, an English knight, Sir Henry de Bohun, spotted Robert Bruce. If de Bohun had killed or captured Bruce, he would have become a chivalric hero. So, spurring his warhorse to the charge, he lowered his lance and bared down on the king. Bruce, an experienced warrior, didn't panic, but mounted "ane palfray, litil and joly" and met the charge. Dodging the lance, he brought his battle axe down on de Bohun's helmet, striking him dead.

Elated, the Scots forced the English cavalry to withdraw. Two of Edward's experienced commanders, Sir Henry Beaumont and Sir Robert Clifford, attempted to outflank the Scots and cut off their escape route – very nearly surprising the Scots. At the last moment, however, Thomas Randolph's schiltrom dashed out of the wood and caught the English cavalry by surprise. A ferocious melee ensued. Without archers the cavalry found they were unable to get through the dense thicket of Scots spearmen, even resorting to throwing their swords and maces at them, until the Scots pushed them back and forced them into flight. The Scots had won the first day. Their morale was high and Bruce's new tactic of using the schiltroms offensively rather than statically, as Wallace had used them at Falkirk, appeared to be working. Yet Bruce must have been contemplating a strategic withdrawal before the set piece battle that would inevitably follow in the morning. For the English the setbacks of the first day were disappointing. Fearing Bruce might mount a night attack, they encamped in the Carse of Balquhiderock.

The following day they still hoped to draw Bruce into a full-scale, set-piece battle where their decisive Welsh longbowmen could be brought to bear rather than let Bruce return to guerrilla warfare. At this critical moment, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scots noble in the English army, defected to Bruce bringing him vital intelligence of Edward's army: its confined position and the low morale within the English camp. Bruce decided to risk all in the morning and face Edward in open battle. At dawn the Scots ate their breakfast and advanced out of the wood to face the enemy. Medieval battles were seen as the judgement of God; it was important to have the saints on your side, and so, in the midst of the Scots schiltroms, Abbot Bernard of Arbroath carried their ancient lucky talisman, the Breccbennach (or Monymusk Relquary), which held the relics of St Columba. Bruce himself made a speech invoking the power of St Andrew, John the Baptist and Thomas Beckett.

Then, according to the chronicler Walter Bower: "At these words, the hammered horns resounded, and the standards of war were spread out in the golden dawn." Abbot Maurice of Inchaffrey walked out in front of the army, led mass and blessed the Scots as they knelt in prayer. On seeing this, Edward II is reputed to have said: "Yon folk are kneeling to ask mercy." Sir Ingram de Umfraville, a Balliol supporter fighting for Edward, is said to have replied: "They ask for mercy, but not from you. They ask God for mercy for their sins. I'll tell you something for a fact, that yon men will win all or die. None will flee for fear of death." "So be it", retorted Edward. An archery duel followed, but the Scots schiltrom rapidly took the offensive in order to avoid its inevitable outcome. Edward Bruce's schiltrom advanced on the English vanguard, felling the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, while Randolph's schiltrom closed up on their left.

The English knights now found themselves hemmed in between the Scots schiltroms and the mass of their own army and could bring few of their archers to bear. Some broke out on the Scots flank and rained arrows into the Scots ranks, but they were quickly dispersed by Sir Robert Keith's Scots cavalry; the rest were badly deployed, their arrows falling into the backs of their own army. In the centre of the field there was ferocious hand to hand combat between knights and spearmen as the battle hung in the balance. At this crucial point Bruce committed his own schiltrom, which included the Gaelic warriors of the Highlands and Islands. Under their fresh onslaught, the English began to give ground. The cry "On them! On them! They fail!", arose as the English were driven back into the burn. The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player . The battle's momentum was obvious. A reluctant Edward II was escorted away. As his royal standard departed, panic set in. The Scots schiltroms hacked their way into the disintegrating English army. Those fleeing caused chaos in the massed infantry behind them.

In the rout that followed hundreds of men and horses were drowned in the burn desperately trying to escape. The battle was over. English casualties were heavy: thousands of infantry, a 100 knights and one earl lay dead on the field. Some escaped the confusion: the Earl of Pembroke and his Welsh infantry made it safely to Carlisle, but many more, including many knights and the Earl of Hereford, were captured as they fled through the south of Scotland. Edward II with 500 knights was pursued by Sir James "the Black" Douglas until they reached Dunbar and the safety of a ship home. The capture of Edward would have meant instant English recognition of the Scots demands. As it was, they could absorb such a defeat and continue the war. For the Scots it was a resounding victory. Bruce was left in total military control of Scotland, enabling him to transfer his campaign to the north of England. Politically he had won Scotland's defacto independence and consolidated his kingship – as former supporters of Balliol quickly changed sides. In exchange for Bruce's noble captives Edward was forced to release Bruce's wife, daughter and the formidable Bishop Wishart, who had been held in English captivity since 1306.

For the Scots soldiers there was the wealth of booty left in the English baggage train and the exhilaration of victory. More articles The Battle of Bannockburn 20. September 2014 The Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 was the most significant Scottish victory in the War of Scottish Independence and by many hailed as the culmination of the forging of an independent Scottish Nation The Battle of Bannockburn on the 24 and 25th of June 1314 was a significant Scottish victory in the First War of Scottish Independence, and is considered a landmark in Scottish history. The immediate background was that Stirling Castle, a Scots royal fortress but occupied by the English, was under siege by the Scottish army. Edward II of England assembled a formidable force of perhaps 17.000 men (cavalry and foot soldiers) to relieve it. This attempt failed, and his army was defeated in a pitched battle by a smaller army of perhaps 10.000 men, commanded by Robert I of Scotland. The battle went on for two days, but ended in a complete rout fro the English.

King Edward had to flee and the rest of his army was hacked on its way back across the border. At first, when Alex Salmond aired the plans for a referendum about Scottish independence in 2014, he had his eyes set on a date in June. Obviously his plan was to connect two events: the 700 year anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn on the 24th of June and the highly emotional fight for independence , he must have envisaged from the beginning would be part of the campaign leading up to the polls. Savvy as always, Salmond soon understood that the date would be toxic for different reasons. One was that people would be on a holiday and thus not really interested in voting. Another was fear of getting mired in a debate fuelled by centuries-old grievances and romantic myths. The only possible way of gaining independence in 2014 was of course to claim that future Scotland would be an all-embracing country, open to all regardless of ethnicity and including the English. Which is exactly the strategy, which Salmond and his team did pursue.

A few years back a facial reconstruction of Robert the Bruce was carried out, showing his war woulds and the disfigurement caused by leprosy In the end, of course, he could not restrain himself. “Bannockburn is the birthplace of Scotland” , he claimed in a speech faithfully presented in “The Scotsman” as an editorial article on the 30th of June. A speech he apparently gave at the celebrations a couple of days before. However, this was in fact quite untrue. It took more than 6 years to see the daylight of the treaty of… and the civil way continued for more than 15 years. In yet another comment published on the website of the Scottish Government, the First Minister claimed that “with tickets sold out and members of the public traveling from far and wide to be part of this massive commemoration, the rightful place which the battlefield holds in our nation’s history was properly recognised and celebrated”. Apparently his team forgot to tell him that the festivities in Bannockburn actually failed to sell less than a third of the planned tickets!

As will be remembered a full re-enactment of the battle with more than 200 participants from ten countries was staged during the anniversary, where Scotland’s Robert the Bruce overcame a significant military disadvantage and secured a victory after 48 hours of gruelling fight in the shadow of Stirling Castle. If you missed the event there is ample opportunity to get a sense of what went on in the visitor centre, which recently opened on site and which has been received with high acclamation. Wish to read more about Scotland the Brand and its medieval icons? Please follow the links below The Battle of Bannockburn BANNOCKBURN JUNE 24, 1314 English King Edward II, along with approximately 20,000 troops, advanced through the Lowlands of Scotland with relative ease. Arriving at Edinburgh on June 17, 1314, the army progressed to Leith, where they stopped for five days to collect supplies. The next step for the invading army was a 22-mile forced march to Falkirk. On Saturday June 23rd they progressed along the old Roman road from Falkirk, advancing on Stirling Castle, which they meant to relieve.

Scottish King Robert the Bruce strategically blocked Edward's path, planting his men in the dense wood of the New Park and set his standard in the Borestone there. This meant that he had an impassable scrub on his right, the stream-riddled and boggy Carse on his left, Stirling Castle behind him and the Bannock Burn, which Edward would have to cross, before him. Among Bruce's army is said to have been a contingent of men from the "youthful" Clan Cameron, perhaps being led by John de Cameron, the supposed VII Chief and Captain of Clan Cameron. It should be noted that this collection of West Highlanders would probably not have been referred to as "Clan Cameron" at this early period. As to the Cameron men's numbers, it is thought that they made up only a very slight portion of Bruce's 5,500 trained men. In addition to being outnumbered approximately four-to-one, the Scots brought just 500 light cavalry to the field, in comparison to Edward's 2,000 heavy cavalry.

Edward also brought 17,000 archers and spear-wielding foot soldiers, in comparison to the "few" archers which the Scots army had recruited from the Ettrick Forest. As the battle began that June 24th Edward II foolishly advanced his cavalry across the Bannock Burn, taking up a position on the Carse between the Pelstream Burn and the Bannock Burn, falling into Bruce's trap by confining his mobile force into an impossibly narrow area. Robert the Bruce's brother Edward, commanding the men of Galloway, Aberdeen and the south-east Highlands, met the English frontal assault. Edward Bruce's schiltrons repulsed the English cavalry, killing their commander. When the English archers opened their massive assault upon the Scottish army's left flank, Bruce immediately brought his cavalry into action, driving the celebrated bowmen from the field. Then, at this key moment of battle, Bruce brought in his reserve division so explosively that the rapidly retreating English army became unavoidable targets for their own back line of archers. Edward II decided at this point that he had seen enough, rushing to the relative safety of Stirling Castle.

However, Sir Phillip Mowbray, governor of the castle, refused to admit him entry. Consequently, Edward II fled towards Dunbar. Knowing that their king had deserted them left the English army with little fighting spirit. Suddenly, from behind Coxet Hill, there appeared the "small folk," kept in reserve for this purpose. To the battle-weary eyes of the English, this looked like a wild attack by fresh Scottish troops. The English right flank tried to follow their King from the field, their center headed for the waters of the Forth, and their left fell back like "human debris" into the Bannock Burn. Not only were the English totally defeated in pitched battle, but Bruce grabbed valuable hostages and Edward II's mighty train of equipment, all £200,000 of it, was left to the Scots. Although it would be an additional fourteen years until the war with England was officially over, there was no doubt that Robert the Bruce and his men had won its most decisive battle.

Question: Who commanded the Scottish army at the Battle Of Bannockburn?
Answer: Robert The Bruce